Install applications

Install applications

The option -i or install is the one responsible of the installation of apps or libraries.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/62bc7444-8b1f-4db2-b23b-db7219eec15d

Install, normal behaviour

This is the normal syntax.

am -i {PROGRAM}

To install programs locally, add the --user flag.

am -i --user {PROGRAM}

The latter corresponds to the syntax used in AppMan.

appman -i {PROGRAM}

Since version 9, "AM" also covers locally installed apps. It is therefore not necessary to add a root password, once the --user flag is added. And this can also be used in conjunction with the other flags below.

Install, debug an installation script

The "install.am" module contains some patches to disable long messages. You can see them with the --debug flag.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/9dd73186-37e2-4742-887e-4f98192bd764

am -i --debug {PROGRAM}
am -i --user --debug {PROGRAM}

or

appman -i --debug {PROGRAM}

Install the "latest" stable release instead of the latest "unstable"

By default, many installation scripts for apps hosted on github will point to the more recent generic release instead of "latest", which is normally used to indicate that the build is "stable". This is because upstream developers do not always guarantee a certain packaging format in "latest", sometimes they may only publish packages for Windows or macOS, so pointing to "latest" would not guarantee that any package for Linux will be installed.

On the other hand, if you know that the upstream developer will always guarantee a Linux package in "latest" and "AM" instead points to a potentially unstable development version (Alpha, Beta, RC...), this is the syntax to adopt.

am -i --force-latest {PROGRAM}
am -i --user --force-latest {PROGRAM}

or

appman -i --force-latest {PROGRAM}

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ee29adfd-90e1-46f7-aed9-b9c410f68776

Install and Sandbox AppImages

Since version 9.3 it is possible to use the "--sandbox" flag to sandbox only AppImages during the installation process

am -i --sandbox {PROGRAM}
am -i --user --sandbox {PROGRAM}

or

appman -i --sandbox {PROGRAM}

...note that sandboxing only works for AppImages (see "Sandboxing"), for other programs it will not work.

NOTE, it is recommended to use the -i --sandbox combination only if you have local and custom scripts to install.

If you rely on the AppImages listed in the "AM" database, use the -ia --sandbox combination or even better -ias (Install AppImage & Sandox).

See more at "Install only AppImages".